


My Prince of the Sea

by flotsam45



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, mer!lock, merman!Sherlock, this one definitely lacks plot, this one has awful transition scenes, who even was i in 2013
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-10 20:22:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10446624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flotsam45/pseuds/flotsam45
Summary: John comes across a merman stranded on the beach, and their encounter quickly blooms into a friendship, and then something more.Revised RP from March 2013.





	

Sherlock had wandered too close to the surface again, searching for human trinkets to add to his collection. And he had gotten caught in a net again. Usually he’d be able to reach to his waist and pull out his knife, but this hands were too tangled to even move. Violently thrashing about, he tried to get free before he ended up on the surface, but he was too late, washed ashore like a piece of seaweed. He tried to catch his breath and he rested, looking around best as he could and figuring he was in an area hardly visited by human folk. But he was still on edge--he had no way to get out of this net

 

John was taking a morning walk along near a remote cove by his beach house when he noticed a net hat washed up on the shore. What surprised him was what was in the net. It looked as though there was a man in the net, but at the same time, he could see a tail fin of sorts protruding from the thin, woven rope. "Are you alright?" he called out as he rushed over to the net.

 

Sherlock tensed. A human. He had been warned about humans for all of his life. And now there was one approaching him. He struggled in the net, doing everything he could to get loose before the human got here, but he did nothing but get more tangled in the net. A few areas began digging into his skin painfully, but he hardly cared. What was a few scratches compared to being killed by a human? He had been told horrid stories about humans and how they killed merpeople ruthlessly. Of course, Sherlock was much too clever to believe all he had heard, so he had observed humans from afar - the ones aboard ships. These humans were terrible. They would catch fish in nets and keep them all, to sell later. Sherlock was disgusted that he had allowed himself to be captured in a net, and now, he was being approached by a human. What more could go wrong?

 

As John got closer, the tail and the head and shoulders appeared to be that of the same. He heard stories of merpeople in his childhood, but never thought that they would be true. The merman struggled further as he approached, but John only wanted to help. He slowly knelt beside the net and first stroked the merman's arm gently in order to calm him down. "It's alright, there. I'm not going to hurt you," he told him, trying to soothe him.

 

The merman glared at John, but his struggling came to a halt.

 

John pulled some of the netting around the merman up with his fingers and pulled out his pocket knife. "I'm going to get you out of here, just try and stay calm," he told the merman as he continued to glare up at him with icy blue eyes. He wasn't sure if the creature understood what he was saying, but as long as he made some sort of an attempt to communicate, maybe the merman would calm down. He carefully cut his way through the net, making an opening bigger and bigger to help the merman out. As he did so, he saw more and more of the beautiful creature. It's deep blue and black scales, pale white skin, and a face with angles that made him shiver. He was absolutely gorgeous, he thought to himself.

 

Sherlock remained silent and still, intently observing the man who was helping to free him. His actions were gentle, almost....kind. But Sherlock was wary nonetheless. The man was wielding a sharp knife, after all. But the way that this man held himself...There was something different about him from the men who had been on the ships.

 

John had finally made an opening in the net that was large enough to get the merman out. He pulled it open further and first got the creature's head out, then gently lifted him up to get the rest of his human-like upper body out. His fins at the end of his tail were a bit more tangled up, and he immediately got to work there.

 

Sherlock's initial suspicion turned slowly to curiosity. Why was this human being so kind?..... Perhaps...not all humans were cruel? Sherlock shook his head slightly to clear it. Just because this man was being nice now did not mean that Sherlock was going to be defenseless if he _did_ try to hurt him. Sherlock's fingers wrapped around the knife he had, but did not move them.

 

Once John had freed up most of the tail fin, he was able to gently tug the rest of the netting off until the merman was free. It was only then that he looked back up and noticed that the merman was in possession of a knife as well. John held the knife up and placed it on the sandy ground next to him. "I promise not to hurt you," he reassured the merman. He then pointed to himself and said, "My name is John. John Watson."

 

Sherlock eyed the man curiously once more, before speaking. "Well, then. Thank you, John. My name is Sherlock Holmes." he said evenly.

 

“Well then," John said, not quite knowing what he expected as a response, but held out his hand for Sherlock to shake, "It's nice to meet you."

 

Sherlock took John's hand and shook it. "I am grateful that I was found by you." he said, unsure of how to reply.

 

John smiled in return. "You know, I've never actually seen a merperson before. I always thought that they were the stuff of fairytales. But this is amazing," he said, not being able to help himself.

 

Sherlock raised an eyebrow. "Yes, well, we do try to stay hidden." he said concisely. "It is not common for us to...venture so close to the surface. Much less be washed ashore tangled in a net."

 

John nodded. If most people found a merman or a mermaid, who knows what they'd do to them. Perhaps the government would intercede and try to experiment on them. John shook the thought out of his head. At least Sherlock is safe. "What's it like to be one? That is, if you don't mind me asking..."

 

Sherlock stared at John, slightly confused. How was he supposed to describe what it was like being a merman, if that's all he had ever known. Despite his doubts, he attempted to put it into words. "Well, I suppose it's much more convenient than being a human. We can breathe underwater, and we are the fastest swimmers in the ocean." He paused unsure of how to go on. "If you're asking what it's like to have a tail, I am not sure if I can aptly describe what it feels like to have one, being that I've never known anything different."

 

“Amazing..." John said to himself before asking another question. "How many of you are there?" He wasn't sure how rare, exactly, merpeople were, or where they lived to avoid humans discovering them. This was all completely new to him.

 

Sherlock shrugged. "There are merpeople all across the oceans. However," Sherlock frowned. "The population has been declining in recent years, due to being captured and killed. A few are captured but kept alive, to be sold to the highest bidder, or to torture."

 

"I wonder why I haven't heard about this happening..." John said thoughtfully. If mermaids were discovered, then perhaps they were labeled as hoaxes in order to keep it out of the public eye. "I wouldn't let any of that happen to you," he finally told Sherlock.

 

"I.....appreciate it." Sherlock said awkwardly. There were obviously humans who would kill merpeople without a second thought, but this man was definitely not one of them. "I would like to thank you for helping me, as well as...not hurting me." he began slowly. "Is there...something you would like?" he asked, not knowing if he was picking the proper words to express his gratitude.

 

"I... I don't really know..." John told him, surprised by the offer. He didn't know what he would possibly ask of a merman, seeing as he just found out that they actually existed. "I haven't really connected with many people since I got back from the war... Perhaps we could be friends, somehow?" he asked.

 

Sherlock's eyebrows rose in surprise. "...Friends?" he repeated. "You want to be...friends? With me?" he asked dubiously.

 

John shrugged. "Why not? You seem to be an interesting bloke. Perhaps I can get some scuba gear and you can show me around a bit." He was really curious about merpeople now, and he wanted to learn more.

 

Sherlock blinked. "Alright... If that's what you want." he said slowly.

 

"It's fine if you don't want to," John told him, not wanting to pressure Sherlock into anything.

 

"No, no, I want to. It's just..." Sherlock looked at John curiously. "No one has wanted to be my friend before." he said quietly.

 

John looked over at Sherlock in disbelief. "Really?" He couldn't possibly be the first one to want to befriend him, could he?

 

Sherlock nodded. "Obviously, where I come from, being a merperson isn't anything special. I am....not well liked. And it doesn't help that my brother is the prince, due to become the king when my mother dies." he said, shrugging.

 

John's eyes widened. "So, you're a prince?!" he exclaimed. Sherlock was getting more interesting by the moment. Not to mention that John felt as though he was slowly starting to fall for him.

 

Sherlock cringed. That wasn't supposed to have slipped out. He nodded slowly.

 

"That's actually really cool," John told him, "I'm not really anything special. Just an army doctor that was recently sent home from the war in Afghanistan."

 

Sherlock stared at John. The man was becoming more interesting by the passing minute. He was kind, gentle, humble... nothing like what humans had been described as. Sherlock felt a strange warmth blossom in his chest - a feeling he had never experienced before. "Afghanistan... You've gotten a lot of exposure to the sun there." Sherlock said. "And...you were injured there?"

 

"Yes, I was shot," he answered, nodding slowly. His therapist recommended that he move further out into the countryside, so he chose to go here. He was lucky that he took her advice. Otherwise, he would never have met such an interesting creature that he thought was fictional and then become its friend.

 

"Where?" Sherlock asked, concern lacing his voice unknowingly.

 

"Up in the shoulder, right here," he answered, patting his left shoulder lightly. "After that, I was sent back to London, and started therapy and what not. Then I moved here."

 

Sherlock frowned. "I see..." he said. He didn't know what else to say. "I'm...sorry...?"

 

"Oh, don't be sorry about it. You're not the one who shot me," John replied, patting the merman on the shoulder. "It's all healed now, anyway."

 

Sherlock nodded slowly, the feeling of John's hand distracting him. It was...quite nice.

 

Sherlock certainly seemed to be one of a kind, and John had never met any human as interesting as he was. He hoped that he could start seeing the merman more often.

 

The merman looked at John. "...So..." he began, unsure of what to say.

 

"Just out of curiosity, is there any particular reason why you sort of ventured out?" John asked. Sherlock just told him that merpeople tried to hide as best they could, and Sherlock seemed to be a possible exception himself from his kind.

 

Sherlock smirked. "I do not like to...abide the laws of our people." he said. "I have always found humans quite fascinating, and their little possessions equally interesting. I usually swim near the surface, looking for things to add to my... collection." he stated, awkwardly.

 

"What kind of things are in your collection?" John asked curiously. There could be several things that may get pulled into the ocean from beaches. He wondered what sort of items Sherlock may have picked up over time.

 

Sherlock shrugged. "Glass bottles, watches, cell phones, rings, bracelets, necklaces, keys."

 

John nodded. They seemed like some typical items that could be lost, but also some valuables as well. "If you're interested, I can see what I can bring with me sometime."

 

Sherlock's eyes lit up. "Would you?"

 

John smiled and answered, "Of course."

 

Sherlock gave John a small smile. "Thank you. That would be wonderful."

 

Seeing Sherlock smile like that made John's day so much brighter. He subconsciously sat himself just a bit closer to the merman.

 

His closeness was not lost on the merman. But instead of feeling uncomfortable, like he normally did when people got too close, he felt.... very much at ease. There was just something about this doctor, but Sherlock just couldn't put his finger on it. Sherlock felt the same warmth in his chest again, and briefly wondered if there was something wrong with him. "Would you like to go for a swim?" he asked, impulsively.

 

John chuckled a bit before answering, "I doubt I'll ever be as strong a swimmer as you, but sure." He came in his swim trunks anyway, hoping that he could go for a dip at some point during his walk earlier. He took off his T-shirt and sandals and placed them on top of a nearby rock before going back to join Sherlock.

 

Sherlock found himself staring at John, inexplicably feeling...attracted? No, that was impossible. Sherlock shook his head a bit, and blinked. "Er...I would greatly appreciate it if you could...help me get further into the water." he said, feeling his cheeks heat up a bit.

 

"That'd be no problem at all," John replied as scooped up Sherlock, one arm beneath his tail and the other just below his shoulders. He then walked into the oncoming waves and lowered the merman into the water when it reached the man's hip.

 

Sherlock eased himself out of John's arms and let himself be submerged in the sea, feeling once more at home. He swam in circles around John, allowing his tail to brush up against John's legs. He reemerged and took John's hand, leading him further into the water.

 

Wow, look at him go, John thought to himself as Sherlock went in circles around him. He couldn't help but love the feeling of him brushing up against him. He swam out farther from the shore with the merman, fascinated with seeing him doing what he did naturally.

 

Sherlock gave John a smile from beneath the waves, and continued circling his new friend. He took John's hand gently in his own. "There's a place I want to show you." he said, coming out of the water so his voice would be clearer to John. Naturally, he was able to speak underwater, but from above water, it would sound muffled.

 

"Alright," John replied, intrigued by what Sherlock had to show him. He held onto the merman's hand, not sure if the gesture was simply to help him keep up, or if it meant something more. It was difficult for him to tell, and Sherlock soon started to lead him off towards their destination.

 

Sherlock felt the same warmth in his chest, and couldn't help but smile as he guided John to a secluded area at the bottom of a cliff. "There's a cave here, but you have to go a ways under water in order to find the entrance." He paused. "I can show you, but... I'll have to hold you when we go underwater." he said, silently asking if this was okay with John.

 

John nodded in answer to Sherlock's unspoken question. "I can hold my breath for about thirty seconds, do you think that'll be enough?" He didn't know how deep the cave was until there was, or how far under. There must be air if Sherlock is taking him down there, and he trusted the merman, a lot more than he did with most people.

 

Sherlock nodded. "It won't take more than fifteen." he said, swimming closer to John and wrapping his arms around the doctor's waist so John's back was pressed against Sherlock's front. "Ready?" he asked softly, his mouth near John's ear.

 

Feeling Sherlock against him like this sent a light shiver through John and he held onto the arms wrapped around his waist. "Ready," he confirmed before taking in a deep breath, preparing himself to go under.

 

Sherlock dived under, and propelled the two of them towards the opening of the cave. The water in this area was alway crystal clear, and a vibrant blue. As he swam, he could feel the cleanliness of the water. The beach areas nowadays were never this clean. They always felt like the human pollution. But here, where no human had ever been - until now, of course - the water was of a different quality completely. Sherlock guided the two of them through the mouth of the cave, and into the cave itself. They emerged from the water, and Sherlock swam over to the large smooth flat rock formation that ran parallel to the water jutting out from the wall of the cave, and let John brush up against it. Sherlock took in the familiar surroundings. The blue green water was illuminated by sunlight streaming in from several gaps in the cliff wall, and the walls of the cave were smooth, after years of erosion. The water was in a large enough area and deep enough for Sherlock to swim around freely, but shallow enough so that if he let John stand, the water would reach his chest. Sherlock smiled. This was his favorite spot - his secret spot.

 

John looked around the cavern, which looked like it came straight out of some sort of a fantasy painting. "Fantastic..." he thought aloud as he absorbed his surroundings. He looked over at Sherlock, whose light eyes almost seemed illuminated in the dimmer light, and his sharp cheekbones were highlighted by the lighting. John soon found himself at a loss for words as he gazed at the merman. Everything seemed to be too wonderful to be true, that he was living in some sort of dream right then.

 

Sherlock fidgeted under John's gaze, though not feeling exactly uncomfortable. "This is my favorite spot." he said. "I've always come here alone when I... needed time away." He looked at John. "You're the first person I've shown this place to, actually. Obviously the first human to set foot here."

 **  
** "Wow," was all John could say. He thought that this was all truly wonderful. He also still noticed how he and Sherlock were still rather close together, and it really felt... right, somehow. He never was particularly attracted to the same gender, but this merman was different. He was absolutely stunning to John. The human reached out and took the Sherlock's hand in his. It seemed to feel right to him, but he wasn't sure if the merman would feel the same.

 

Sherlock felt heat rising to his cheeks at the contact, but did nothing to end it. Any form of contact would definitely be welcomed if it were from John.

 

John finally summoned up all his courage and decided to tell Sherlock how he was feeling. "You know, I feel like this could be more than just a friendship..."

 

Sherlock stared at John and nodded slowly, in agreement, but unsure of what to say.

 

John stepped closer to him on the rock, his cheeks flushing from what he said, and what he was going to add. "I've never felt this way towards a guy before, much less of a different species. Nonetheless, even if we've only known each other for a little while, I do think I... love you..."

 

Sherlock couldn't help but smile at the "much less a different species" part. He looked at John. "I grew up, taught that I was supposed to hate humans, and that humans were cruel and vicious. But you contradict everything I thought I knew. You helped me, and I'm very glad I was found by you. You showed me that there are humans who are gentle and kind and honest and humble. And...I am quite sure that I love you too." Sherlock said quietly.

 

As John wrapped his arm around Sherlock's shoulder, a thought occurred to him. If they got a bit more serious, how would it work? He looked up at the merman curiously. "Not saying that we have to get there anytime soon, but how does sex... work for you...?" he asked, not quite sure how to phrase the question.

 

Sherlock blinked. This was not a conversation he had expected to have so soon. Nonetheless, he felt obligated to tell John what he wanted to know. "Everything is under our scales." Sherlock said, not really knowing how to explain it. "We have similar parts as humans, but - obviously - because of our tails, they are placed slightly differently."

 

John nodded. "I don't want to rush you at all, but I was just a bit curious," he explained, hoping that Sherlock didn't take his question the wrong way. He slowly rubbed up and down the merman's side.

 

Sherlock shivered and leaned in closer to John. He allowed himself the moment to relax and enjoy the feeling of being next to his... What _was_ John to him now? "John? What..What does this make us?" he asked.

 

"I guess that makes us partners, or boyfriends. Whichever term you'd like to use," he responded as he rested his head against Sherlock's shoulder. He didn't mind either, so he was willing to go with whatever the merman preferred.

 

Boyfriend.... Sherlock thought. "Boyfriend." he said, and found himself smiling. "Boyfriend." he repeated, happily. He laughed softly.

 

John grinned when Sherlock came to his decision. "Boyfriends it is, then," he concurred as he kissed the merman's cheek and hugged him from the side.

 

Sherlock was surprised when he felt John's lips against his cheek. He looked over at his boyfriend. He reached up and leaned over in a way that let him come face to face with him, and pressed his lips against John's gently.

 

John softly sighed into the kiss and pulled Sherlock in closer. His hands glided down to the merman's him, where he felt the human-like skin begin to fade into a pattern of scales.

 

Sherlock smiled and wrapped his arms around John's waist, then ran his hands slowly up his back, then back down again.

 

John lightly licked Sherlock's bottom lip, seeing how far his new boyfriend was comfortable with going as he continued to kiss him back.

 

Sherlock gasped slightly at the sensation, but did not pull away.

 

John slipped just the tip of tongue into Sherlock's mouth as his hands moved back up above the surface of the water and rubbed his boyfriend's shoulders.

 

Sherlock hesitantly darted his tongue to John's mouth, unsure of what to expect.

 

John gently pushed his tongue along Sherlock's, wanting to ease the merman into it.

 

This was definitely a new sensation to the merman. But.... it was a good kind of different. He gained a little confidence and  let his tongue venture further into John's mouth. Sherlock was surprised to find that John tasted...nice.

 

John held his boyfriend closer and ran a hand through the merman's soaked hair. He made sure that he kept being gentle with him, knowing that this was such an encounter in the first place, and he didn't want it to end.

 

Sherlock pulled away, his heart thundering loudly in his chest. He was almost positive that John would be able to hear it. He didn't want John thinking that he didn't enjoy the kiss; he positively reveled in the contact, by all means, so even though he pulled back, he went in for a gentle embrace. He tightened his hold around John's waist, and buried his face in the human's neck. "John." he murmured, his lips brushing against the man's skin.

 

John tilted his head to the side to give Sherlock more room as he sighed from the feeling of the merman's breath against his skin as it sent a shiver down his spine. His fingers twirled in Sherlock's wet curls as he held his boyfriend close. This was absolutely amazing, and it really felt like a dream. Finding a beached merman that led him to a secluded cave like this, and then snogging him and calling him his boyfriend. At least it wasn't the nightmares of bullets whizzing past his ear and his fellow soldiers falling around him from all sides. It was always the same battle over and over again that ended with the same piercing pain and the feeling of falling backwards on and on until he woke up in a fit of shouting and panting. This was so much better than those awful images, and he wanted it to keep going forever if it meant he would wake up at some point.

 

Sherlock nuzzled John's exposed neck gently, and let his breath ghost over the man's skin as he did. He looked up at the doctor, and found that he had a somewhat faraway look in his eyes. "John?" Sherlock said, running a hand up John's spine and back down to rest on the small of his back.

 

John then snapped back into reality and smiled at Sherlock. "Yeah?" He asked softly as he cupped the merman's cheek, rubbing his thumb over one of his sharp cheekbones. He hoped that his getting lost in his thoughts didn't cause too much concern.

 

"What's the matter?" he asked, frowning slightly. "You seem....distant."

 

"It's nothing, really," John answered, giving Sherlock a reassuring smile, "Just kinda zoned out." He hoped he wouldn't have to draw too much attention to it. He instead turned his focus back to the merman in his arms, giving him a quick kiss on the nose.

 

Sherlock blinked and chuckled softly. He looked at John, affection and concern in his eyes. "Are you sure? If something's wrong, you can tell me..." he said softly.

 

John sighed. "Just some bad memories, that's all." He hugged Sherlock close and closed his eyes, shutting out the thoughts. "You really are fantastic, though," he told him, massaging his boyfriend's shoulders.

 

"Bad memories......from the war." Sherlock stated, piecing together what was going through John's mind. He sighed, wanting to be able to let John forget everything bad he had experienced, and give him good memories instead. He hummed absentmindedly as he felt John's gentle hands on his shoulders. Perhaps it was too unrealistic to think that he'd be able to get rid of John's bad thoughts. Sherlock thought, and decided that he would give John many happy memories to treasure that eventually the bad memories would fade away. The merman nodded slightly to himself. He would make John happy, he vowed silently.

 

John nodded in agreement at Sherlock's supposition. "At least that chapter in my life is over, now," he said, pulling away to look up at the merman. He hoped that his boyfriend wouldn't have to worry about it too much.

 

Sherlock stared at John for a while before giving him a smile, and he took one of John's hands in his own and tugged on it slightly, guiding the doctor into the middle of the cavern's pool.

 

As Sherlock guided John into the middle of the pool, the human tingled with anticipation. What was the merman going to do now? Still, he went along with him, trusting Sherlock completely.

Sherlock stopped once they reached the center, and looked at John, slight anxiety and nervousness in his eyes. "Close your eyes." he said quietly, letting go of John's hand.

 

John nodded and did as Sherlock told, treading water as he did so. Whatever the merman was going to do, the human found himself looking forward to it.

 

Sherlock took a calming breath, then slipped underwater silently. He opened his mouth, and began to sing. It would not be a song that John recognized, and it did not contain discernible words. Sherlock closed his eyes and let himself focus on the music. It began slow, sounding a bit dark, but then seemed to grow lighter, and first note went higher, then lower, it's volume and intensity fluctuating. Sherlock poured his feeling into this song, and decided midway that this would be his and John's song...if the doctor would accept it. The melody continued flawlessly, his voice reaching highs and lows easily. As he let the last note fade out, he opened his eyes and resurfaced. He had sung underwater because here, in this special cavern, it was formed in such a way that when Sherlock sang, the walls acted like amplifiers and made his voice clearer. He looked at John hesitantly, anxious to see how the man would react.

 

John wasn't sure what he expected, but what he heard from the merman was absolutely beautiful. He didn't know what the words meant, but the melody sounded lovely. Not to mention that it was Sherlock's velvety voice singing the song, and it was ringing throughout the entire cavern. The whole thing was stunning, and when he heard the ripples of the merman surfacing once more, John opened his eyes again. "That was wonderful," he told him with a smile on his face as he embraced Sherlock once more, gazing into his gorgeous blue eyes.

 

Sherlock blinked. That had not been the reaction he had been expecting. He thought John would react more like his mother had when she found out that he could sing: throwing random objects that were at hand. Being able to sing like this and to be male was unacceptable in their culture. "R-really?" Sherlock asked doubtfully.

 

"Absolutely," John told him as he pulled him into a gentle kiss. Sherlock seemed a bit apprehensive, and he wanted to reassure him that it really was wonderful to hear. It made him wonder why the merman would be so anxious about singing something like that. Maybe it was some self-consciousness of sorts, but he wasn't sure. "What does it mean?" John then asked, curious about the lyrics that the merman sang.

 

"It...was just a bit of improvisation..." Sherlock said softly. "It was about a merman who found himself stranded on a beach, and the man who rescued him." He smiled sheepishly. "It was a song expressing the feelings the merman had towards the human." He bit his lip. "In our culture, men are not supposed to be able to sing. Singing is dominantly done by mermaids and sirens." he said sounding a bit ashamed.

 

"Well, there are still things where I come from that aren't as socially accepted in some places as others," John explained, "even though, for example, homosexuality is mostly welcomed in the area I live in, other people in other places don't welcome it as much." He shrugged, hoping that his reasoning made sense to Sherlock. "No matter what, that song was absolutely beautiful, and it will always hold a special place in my heart, just like you do."

 

Sherlock felt relief wash over him, and he felt tears come to his eyes, and though he tried to hold them back, the escaped, and solidified, falling into the clear water as pearls.

 

John held Sherlock closer, pulling him into a hug when he began to cry. When he felt something small and solid hit his shoulder and fall into the water, he went to pick it up and found that it was a small pearl. It was perfectly round, gleaming in the dim light. No wonder people would kidnap merpeople to torture them. They wanted them to cry for profit. He dropped the pearl back into the water and continued to hold the merman in his arms, rubbing his back to calm him down.

 

Sherlock had felt his stomach drop when John had picked up the pearl. He silently berated himself; 'I should have known that he would care about the pearls more than me. I should've known that he'd be like every other human when he thinks of how much money he'd-' But his thoughts had come to a crashing halt when John dropped the pearl back into the water, without a second thought. He stared at the man in wonder. "You just.....That was a pearl..." he said softly, desperately trying to hold back his tears.

 

John shrugged slightly. "So?" He really didn't care for them if they were the result of the sadness or pain of another creature. He didn't really care about wealth in the first place, either. He didn't want a product that meant that someone else's sadness went into creating it. All he wanted was for Sherlock to be happy.

 

Sherlock trembled, and he felt more tears escape. He could not believe how honest and kind and selfless the man before him was. He pressed himself closer to John and tried to stop the tears.

 

"Shhh, it's alright," John whispered, continuing to rub Sherlock's back as he continued to cry. He wanted to make him feel better, but wasn't sure quite what to do. Without much thought, he tried humming some of the song that Sherlock sang that he remembered the parts to. He hoped that this would help the merman.

 

Sherlock froze and looked up at John slowly. He gave the man a shaky smile and buried his face in his neck. He was beginning to get control over his emotions, as well as his ragged breathing. He used his tail and propelled the two of them back to the shallow areas of the pool - he could tell that John was getting tired. He remained content in John's embrace, and smiled as John attempted to repeat the song. He reached a hand up to John's face and kissed him softly.

 

John kissed him back as his feet touched the shallow area once more. He was happy now that Sherlock had stopped crying and felt better. John cupped the merman's cheek and deepened the kiss, holding him closer.

 

Sherlock made a soft happy sound in the back of his throat. To know that there was someone who wanted him....made him incredibly happy.

 

For John, there was finally someone in his life after being alone for so long after he got back from Afghanistan. Finding Sherlock was probably the best thing he's ever done, and he would not ever let that slip from his memory.

 

Sherlock ran a hand through John's hair happily. A serious thought shot a hole through his happiness. "John..." he said, pulling away.

 

"W-what's wrong?" He asked, not sure what might be the problem now for the merman. Seeing his face when he pulled away was heart wrenching.

 

Sherlock looked at John a bit apologetically. He had not meant to make the man panic. "It's just..... How is this going to work?" he asked quietly.

 

John stroked Sherlock's cheek. They were two different species with very different needs. It did seem almost impossible for a relationship like this to work out, but not completely impossible. "Well, when is it usually good for you to come up to the surface like this?" he asked, still holding the merman close.

 

"I usually come two to three times a week, but no one notices my absence anyway. I could come more often." Sherlock said.

 

"I usually take walks on the beach in the early morning and evening," John told him, "On weekends like this, I could certainly stay for longer." He felt a bit sorry that no one noticed Sherlock, a prince, being gone from home for a long time like that. He couldn't think of any members of the royal family being gone for long without someone noticing.

 

Sherlock nodded. "Alright." He smiled tentatively. "I'll come closer to shore whenever I can. It won't be too difficult for me."

 

John nodded. "During most of the weekdays, I may stop by before work, but in the evenings I'm a bit more free." He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Sherlock's, and told him, "We'll make this work, don't worry."

 

Sherlock's smile grew wider. "Okay." he whispered, leaning forward and kissing John's nose.

 

John hummed and softly murmured, "My prince of the sea," before kissing him warmly on the lips.

 

Sherlock chuckled and kissed back happily.

 

John decided to push things forward a bit by moving his kisses along Sherlock's jaw, trailing them down the merman's neck toward his collarbone.

 

Sherlock gasped softly but did not protest John's actions. His back arched ever so slightly, and sighed quietly.

 

John continued to kiss along the collar bones of the merman before him. _His_ merman. _His_ Prince Sherlock.

 

"Mmmm..." Sherlock ran his hands up John's sides and let his fingers tangle in the doctor's hair.

 

John contemplated leaving a mark, but decided against it, knowing that it wouldn't be the easiest way to hide, and that he was royalty. He could get in trouble for leaving such a bruise like that. Instead, he let his kisses lightly graze over the merman's skin, teasing him with the soft touches of his lips.

 

Sherlock sighed heavily, his heart beat speeding up. "J-John..." he said quietly. "What....What are you doing?"

 

"I... I felt like..." John wasn't quite sure what to say. He was a bit flustered at the question. "Was I going too fast, or...?

 

"No, it's not that. I just...." Sherlock blushed a bit. "It feels really good. I've never felt anything like this before." he whispered.

 

John gave him a small smile and kissed him on the cheek before telling the merman, "If you do want me to stop at any point, speak up, yeah?"

 

Sherlock smiled and nodded, pulling John close again.

 

John hugged the merman close and played with his dark brown hair.

 

Sherlock hummed, enjoying the sensation of John's fingers in his hair.

 

John decided to pick back up what he was doing just previously, leaving gentle, warm kisses along the long neck the merman possessed.

 

Sherlock sighed softly, tilting his head upwards, exposing his pale neck. "John..." he breathed, content.

 

The human started to use his teeth in his activities, and making sure not to hurt Sherlock at all, lightly grazed his incisors along the skin beneath his lips. He hoped that the merman would like this, willing to do anything to please him at this point.

 

Sherlock bit his lip and moaned softly. "What you're doing... It's very... good." he said.

 

Sherlock's light moan only made John want to do more for the merman. He rubbed Sherlock's chest and kissed down further to his shoulder.

 

Sherlock gasped softly. He was felt a persistent stirring in his tail. If he became anymore aroused, his cock would be visible to John. Not knowing how John would react, Sherlock felt panic begin to rise in his chest, but couldn't bring himself to push John away.

 

If they went any further than this, John knew that there would be differences in his and Sherlock's anatomy. He really didn't mind all that much. They were different species, so it was to be expected. He continued nipping and teasing at the merman's pale skin, listening to the soft moans escaping his lips.

 

Sherlock felt himself harden further, and he felt it begin to rise as well. He glanced down, and sure enough, his cock was jutting out from his tail, the scales that ran over it seemingly disappearing, giving way to pink skin. Sherlock felt himself turn red, and he pulled his hips back slightly, hoping that John wouldn't notice.

 

John noticed how Sherlock seemed to back off, and he did as well, not sure if he did anything to hurt him. The merman was bright red, and he wasn't sure what the problem may have been. "Is something wrong?" he asked in a quiet voice.

 

Sherlock blinked and shook his head quickly, looking away.

 

That;s when John glanced down and noticed what was going on. "Don't worry about it," he told Sherlock, "It happens to me, too."

 

Sherlock stared at John, eyes wide, cheeks red. "R...really?"

 

"Yeah. Guys do get hard like that every so often where I come from. In fact, if it makes you feel any better, I'm a bit hard right now, too," he told him. It made him wonder how common mermen had erections if Sherlock was so embarrassed over it.

 

Sherlock's mouth opened a bit in surprise, and after a few moments, he smiled sheepishly. "Oh. Sorry, it's just that I... Well, I've not actually experienced this before."

 

"Really?" John was surprised himself at Sherlock's words. He thought that just about any bloke would have had a boner before, even if it weren't because of something stimulating like their activities.

 

Sherlock nodded slowly. "I knew that it would happen, but it's just...never happened. I suspect its partly because I've never felt like this about anyone before." He paused. "While mermen generally react as human males do, their arousal is fueled by affection more than anything." he explained. "I assume that it is slightly different."

 

"God, I wish that were the case for me," John sighed. The human then proceeded to explain, a little bit flustered, "Well, physical stimulation can cause an erection in men as well as affection. But then, you have the really awkward ones that don't happen for any particular reason at all."

 

"That seems...very....inconvenient." Sherlock said slowly. Humans were so strange.

 

John nodded. "Tell me about it." It would be so much easier if it were more controlled like for Sherlock. "At least yours are a lot more regulated. Makes for fewer complications, I would think."

 

Sherlock nodded. "Yes, definitely." He paused and shifted, trying to do something about his erection.

 

"Would you like my help?" John asked after a moment. He really wanted to help Sherlock, but he wasn't sure if he would be willing. He did seem very new to the whole concept of a relationship, and John was fine if the merman didn't want his assistance.

 

Sherlock blushed and swallowed. He looked into John's eyes hesitantly and gave a tiny nod.

 

John stepped closer to Sherlock and wrapped his arm around his weight. He carefully took a hold of the merman's dick, looking up into his eyes before he began to stroke it.

 

Sherlock watched John warily and he wrapped his hands around Sherlock, but when his hand touched Sherlock's cock, he held back a yelp. When John started to stroke, Sherlock shivered, an exclamation of "Oh!" leaving his lips.

 

John was starting to get harder by doing this for Sherlock. His moans along with the pulse he felt as he rubbed up and down on the merman's cock. John made sure to start at a slower pace to get Sherlock used to it before gradually stroking him faster.

 

Sherlock began to moan quietly, and he held on to John's shoulders tightly. He watched John's hand sliding up and down his cock, and he started to pant softly. John's hand felt so good...

 

John kissed Sherlock's neck as he continued the handjob below the surface. He pulled the gorgeous merman even closer as his strokes got progressively harder as he listened to the moans that escaped the brunette's lips. He felt the need inside him growing, heat starting to building up.

 

Sherlock's moans grew louder, his voice reverberating through the cavern as John's hand sped up. His hold on John's shoulders tightened further, and he unconsciously began thrusting his hips towards the doctor's hand. "John..." he groaned lowly.

"Mmm..." John moaned throatily when he heard his name. He picked up speed. Sticking with what he would normally do for himself seemed to be working out very well for them both. "Oh god, Sherlock, I'm so hard right now," he murmured into the merman's shoulder.

 

Sherlock's breathing increased. This felt incredible. He groaned, and he began to feel heat coiling in his gut. "John, I-" He gasped. "C-coming. I'm close." He moaned. The heat intensified. John's hand just felt so _good_.

 

John slowed down a bit and took Sherlock's hand in his free one. He wanted the pleasure he gave him to last instead of burning out too quickly. He gently guided it to the front of his swim trunks, not to pressure him if he didn't want to return the favour. He was starting to get close as well, but not as close as Sherlock seemed.

 

Sherlock looked down to where John put his hand and after a moment, he chuckled breathlessly. He palmed John's cock for a few moments, before he slipped his hand inside and took hold of it. He looked up at John when he began stroking, alternating between slow and light, and fast and firm.

 

John moaned as Sherlock began to stroke him and he continued on with doing the same for the merman. He never felt anyone do this as well as Sherlock did, especially for a first time. He cursed under his breath at the sheer pleasure as he rubbed the other's member a little harder. "You are so good, Sherlock... Oh god..." He moaned.

 

Sherlock smirked, and ran his thumb over the head of John's cock. He trembled, knowing that his release was near. He let his head loll back, and he let out a low moan.

 

"Aahhh..." John groaned as he stroked Sherlock harder. No one had ever this as well as the merman did and he never fully anticipated it. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, focusing everything towards Sherlock. His moans got louder as he, too, was going to reach his orgasm. He looked up at his merman, wanting to see his face as he came, likely for the first time.

Sherlock panted. "Oh.... John.... I-I'm about to co-" He gasped and moaned loudly, his back arching, his mouth falling open,  and the hand on John's shoulder tightened to the point of pain. He bucked his hips erratically and came in thick white streams, his lover’s name leaving his lips in a strained wail.

"Sherlock, I’m-!" John came with a cry shortly after, adding to the water that was clouded with their cum around them. He shook slightly from the force of the orgasm, but stayed steady in the chest-level water. John had never felt anything like that when he did it before he went to war. He wrapped his arms around Sherlock's waist as he shrugged off the probable bruises he got from the merman's grip. Not that he really minded. He actually liked a bit of roughness like that.

 

Sherlock came down from the orgasm induced high, and he held John close. He was breathing hard, trying to catch his breath. He looked at the clouded water, and blushed, smiling sheepishly at John. Leaning in, he pressed his lips to the forming bruise gently.

 

John panted as he leaned against Sherlock. He had mostly stopped shaking, and he felt a warm, cozy feeling inside him. He pulled the merman into a gentle kiss after he kissed the bruise. "That was absolutely amazing, Sherlock," he whispered softly.

 

Sherlock hummed in agreement. It had definitely been better than what he had expected it to be. He smiled at John. "It really was."

 

John sighed in contentment as he pulled the merman closer. It was certainly the best he'd ever felt during anything like that, and he hoped that maybe they could do something like that again. "I love you, Sherlock," he whispered.

 

"I love you too." Sherlock murmured, nuzzling John's neck.

 

They held each other for a time in a companionable silence, enjoying the other's company. A relationship like this may be difficult, but John knew that they could both make it work.

  



End file.
